Credentials Don't Mean Much

I came across this lede to an interview/book review:

John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings at the Stevens Institute of Technology, in New Jersey. He contributes regularly to Scientific American and other publications in the field, and has written several books about science, society and religion. In his new book, “The End of War” ‏(McSweeney’s; 222 pages, $24‏), he applies the scientific approach to a topic that has occupied him personally since childhood: Why do people fight wars?

Horgan, 58, examines all the standard theories offered over the years to explain why people go to war: a biological tendency to organized fighting among males, if not humans in general, or even primates; competition for scarce resources; the influence of religion or of dominating political figures; the thrill of killing.

So.  He's a smart guy - director of this center at that institute contributing regularly to Scientific American.  But he has this touching faith that scientific inquiry can come up with a solution to the problem of human sinfulness and evil.  Whoops! Maybe not.  Because if you look at the "standard theories offered over the years to explain why people go to war" you will notice that the actual reason wars come didn't even make the list.

Kind of hard to solve a problem when you exclude the problem's source from your investigation.  But then, count me among those who, as Horgan says, consider this a "bunch of naive, hippie hogwash."

Not all that is called "science" is in fact science, and there are some very dumb smart people out there.